Socket for fluorescent lighting



- April 12, 1949, N. NE M N 2,466,778

I SOCKET FOR FLUORESCENT LIGHTING Filed April 11, 1947 INVENTDE wmwm V %M49/%MM% ATToeA/sv Patented Apr. 12, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims. 1

The invention relates to improvements in sockets for fluorescent lighting, as described in the present specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form a part of the same.

The invention consists essentially of the novel features of construction as pointed out broadly and specifically in the claims for novelty following a description containing an explanation in detail of an acceptable form of the invention.

The objects of the invention are to devise a socket for fluorescent lamp tubes which, if but one prong of the fluorescent tube is inserted in the socket, the tube will be securely held to the socket; to construct a socket for fluorescent lamp tubes which will assure direct electrical contact; to provide a socket which will avoid the danger of the fluorescent tube being shaken loose from the socket should only one prong become engaged in the entrance, due to careless placing of the tube in the socket or through other causes preventing both prongs of the tube being inserted in the socket; to eliminate the necessity of extra retaining means for the lamp tube; to effectively connect a fluorescent lamp tube to a fixture and provide assured electrical contact; and in general to provide a socket for fluorescent lamps made of few and simple parts, easy and economical to manufacture and efiicient for its purpose.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of the fluorescent socket showing it attached to a starter socket.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the socket.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the socket as taken on the line 33 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a rear view of the socket showing the contact springs inserted therein and with the cover removed.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the socket.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the socket.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring to the drawings, the socket is made up of a member forming a casing, as indicated by the numeral l0, of suitable insulating material, formed of a face ll merging into a base l2.

The face H has a vertical recess l3 extending downwardly from the top a predetermined distance therebelow, the lower end of the recess being slotted at It, this vertical slot it terminating in a widened portion forming a spring contact chamber H3.

The base I 2 extends outwardly from the bottom of the face I! and is integral therewith, being provided with horizontal and parallel slots IS. A vertical slot 51, positioned in the center of the base 12, extends from the front of the base rearwardly to the bottom of the face i I, dividing that portion of the base into two sections, and having a groove 18 or predetermined depth, extending from the front of the base along th inside wall formed by the vertical slot 1! and across the rear end of the slot.

The casing It is formed with a flange l9 which forms the sides and top wall of the casing and which merges with the base 12. A raised partition 26, formed integral with the face H and the base iii, divides the casing into two separate compartments, 2! and 22 for the introduction of the resilient contact springs 23 and 24. The upper end of the partition 2!] is formed wider than the body of same, this widened upper portion being somewhat oval in shape and being approximately the width of the contact chamber 15, and forms a back Wall 25 for the contact chamber 95. The front face of this back wall 25 has a slightly raised protuberance 26, integral with the back wall, and preferably circular in shap and having its bottom end slightly inwardly curved to form a seat or recess 27, with which one of the prongs of the fluorescent tube 28 engages.

Each of the compartments 2| and 2.2 has a horizontal partition, 29 and 30, integral with the face i I, extending from the side wall to within a short distance of the center partition 20, these partitions 29 and 3!] being parallel and placed a predetermined distance from the base and forming guides for the contact springs 23 and 2 3 respectively. A further partition 31 is posi tioned in the upper end of the compartment 2|, being integral with the face i i, set approximately in line with the lower end of the back wall 25. This upper partition Si is placedon an angle out from th side wall and forms a guide for the upper portion of the contact spring 23.

The contact spring 23 is actually a dual-purpose member, its free end providing an electrical contact point for a prong of the fluorescent lamp tube when the tube has been properly insorted in the socket, and also, due to its particular formation giving it extraordinary pres sure at this point, serving as a locking device to: hold the lamp tube in the socket after the tube has been properly inserted therein and preventing it from shaking loose therefrom due to excessive vibration or other causes. The main and important feature of this dual-purpose contact spring 23, in connection with the locking device feature, is in its securely holding th lamp tube to the socket if but one prong of the tube is inserted in the slot l4, should the person installing the lamp tube in the socket, through carelessness or other reasons, let go of the tube before both of the prongs have been properly inserted in the socket. By becoming securely locked in the socket the tub prong thus held, prevents the lamp tube from falling out of the socket.

The contact spring 23 has a horizontal end 32 which is bent at an approximate right angle to continue upwardly in a slight curve for a predetermined distance where it is bent in an are 34 which forms an offset portion terminating in an up-turned free end 33, or contact point. The spring is secured in the compartment 2! by means of a screw or other fastening means, extending up through the slot 16 in the base and securing the horizontal end 32 of the spring to a suitable seat in the base. The curved portion of the spring body is fitted between the horizontal partition 29 and the center partition 20, the upper portion at the are 34 fitting between the upper partition 3! and the side wall of the casing, the offset portion extending towards the slot i4 and having its free end 33 terminating therein.

The other contact spring, 24, has a horizontal end 35 which secures it in the compartment 22 in a like manner to which the spring 23 is secured in its compartment. This contact spring 24 continues up from the horizontal end 35 and terminates in an offset free end 36, the spring fitting between the horizontal partition 30 and the center partition 20. The offset free end 36 extends into and part ways across the contact chamber l5, being positioned slightly below the recess 27.

In securing the fluorescent lamp tube to the socket the prongs or biprongs of the tube, 31 and 38 respectively, are slidably inserted in the recess l3 and the slot l4 until the prong 31 has been inserted and is positioned on the offset end 36 of the contact spring 24 and in the recess 21 of the protuberance 26 thereby making contact with the electrical energy. The prong 38 enters the slot M and remains therein and in direct contact with the free end 33 of the contact spring 23, both prongs of the lamp tube now form direct electrical contact.

The usual type of fluorescent starter is secured to the socket by means of a screw 39 attaching the starter holder or socket 40 to the base l2 of the lamp socket.

A suitable cover 4|, is secured to the rear or open portion of the casing or socket Hl by means of pins or screws fastening in the apertures 42 located on the center partition 20.

What I claim is:

1. In a socket for fluorescent lighting, a base, a casing on said base and integral therewith, said casing having a recess and a slot therein, the lower portion of said slot forming a contact chamher, a central partition in said casing dividing the casing into separate compartments, the upper portion of said central partition forming a back wall for said contact chamber, a protuberance formed on the front face of said back walland having a recess in its bottom end adapted to engage with the prong of a fluorescent lamp tube, a pair of resilient contact springs secured in said compartments, one of said contact springs being provided with an up-turned free end terminating in said slot, the other of said contact springs being provided with an off-set end terminating in said contact chamber, guides in said compartments adapted to engage with said contact springs to position same in said casing, means for securing said contact springs in said casing, a cover for said casing and means for securing said cover thereon.

2. In a socket for fluorescent lighting, a base, a casing on said base and integral therewith, said casing having a recess and a slot therein, the lower portion of the slot in said casing forming a contact chamber, a central partition in said casing dividing the same into a pair of compartments, the upper portion of said central partition forming a back wall for said contact chamber, a protuberance formed on the front face of said back wall and having a recess in one side thereof adapted to engage with one prong of a fluorescent lamp, a pair of resilient contact springs secured in the compartments of said casing, one of said contact springs being provided with an up-turned free end terminating in the slot in said casing, the other of said contact springs having an offset end terminating in said contact chamber, the other prong of the fluorescent lamp being en gageable by the aforesaid contact spring which terminates in the slot in said casing, and the slot in said casing permitting both of the prongs to enter therein so that the first of the same may pass on either side of said protuberance so as to engage the recess in the latter, thus substantially providing a means of maintaining the fluorescent lamp in the contact chamber of the socket without the assistance of said contact springs.

3. In a socket for fluorescent lighting, a base, a casing on said base and integral therewith, said casing having a recess and a slot therein, the lower portion of said slot forming a contact chamber, a central partition in said casing dividing the casing into separate compartments, the upper portion of said central partition forming a back wall for said contact chamber, a protuberance formed on the front face of said back wall and having a recess in its bottom end adapted to engage with the prong of a fluorescent lamp tube, a pair of resilient contact springs secured in said compartments, one of said contact springs being provided with an up-turned free end terminating in said slot, the other of said contact springs being provided with an off-set end terminating in said contact chamber, guides in said compartments adapted to engage with said contact springs to position same in said casing, means for securing said contact springs in said casing, a cover for said casing and means for securing said cover thereon. v

NORMAN NEUMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,241,065 Hawkins May 6, 1941 2,268,708 Johnson et al Jan. 6, 1942 

